Inklingo

How to Say "scared" in Spanish

English → Spanish

asustada

/ah-soos-TAH-dah//asuˈstaða/

adjectiveA1general
Use 'asustada' when describing a female person or thing that feels fear.
A simple illustration of a young girl with a look of terror on her face, her eyes wide open and her hand covering her mouth.

Examples

Mi hermana estaba asustada por la película de terror.

My sister was scared by the horror movie.

La perrita se escondió porque estaba muy asustada.

The little dog hid because she was very frightened.

¿Estás asustada? No te preocupes, yo estoy aquí.

Are you scared? Don't worry, I'm here.

Gender Agreement

This word is an adjective, so it must match the gender of the person or thing it describes. Use 'asustada' only for feminine nouns (like 'chica,' 'mujer,' 'perra').

Temporary State (Estar)

When describing feelings or temporary emotional states like being scared, you almost always use the verb 'estar' (to be) with 'asustada' (e.g., 'Ella está asustada').

Forgetting Agreement

Mistake: “La niña estaba asustado.”

Correction: La niña estaba asustada. (The ending must match the feminine subject 'niña'.)

Using Ser Instead of Estar

Mistake: “Ella es asustada.”

Correction: Ella está asustada. (Being scared is a temporary feeling, not a permanent characteristic, so use 'estar'.)

asustó

verbA2general
Use 'asustó' when describing an action in the past where someone or something caused fear in another.

Examples

El trueno asustó al bebé y empezó a llorar.

The thunder scared the baby, and it started crying.

Adjective vs. Verb Confusion

The most common mistake is using the adjective 'asustada' (scared) when you mean the verb 'asustó' (caused fear). Remember: 'asustada' describes a feeling, while 'asustó' describes an action that creates that feeling.

Related Translations

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